When Steve King saw his first iMac shelf he was intrigued by the idea but not impressed by the execution. The shelf came with several brackets, was small compared to the rest of the computer, was difficult to attach and didn't fit the Apple style. He wanted a shelf that was "larger, stronger, and more closely matched the iMac's minimalist aesthetics" and the high quality fit and finish. King's solution was to design a shelf of his own, and he is currently running a Kickstarter campaign for FLOAT Shelf - The Ultimate Shelf for Tapered-Edge iMacs.
The shelf is machined from aluminum billet and can support ten pounds. The design of the shelf allows for easy installation and instead of fasteners the shelf uses the iMac's geometry to hold the shelf in place. Dimensions of the shelf are 18 inches wide for the 21.5 inch iMac and 22 inches wide for the 27 inch iMac. Both sizes are 6.5 inches deep.
Steve King talked to us and gave some insight into the design and development process. He said that the most critical design feature was the bracketless attachment. The iMac's stand tapers in both width and thickness, and King was able to use this geometry to design a cantilever system for the bracket. The shelf's design is patented and a plastic insert inside the shelf interfaces with the stand to add security and protect the stand itself.
Wire EDM was used on the first proof-of-concept prototypes, and one of the biggest challenges moving toward a production process was the creation of double-tapered faces using CNC machining. Production will be done in China and Steve has a good friend on location who oversees manufacturing, and Steve plans to be at the plant for the kickoff of the production run.
An optional accessory for the shelf is a bud vase that attaches to the shelf with neodymium magnets. Future designs might include features for cable management, with an eye on hiding the cables to keep the minimalist aesthetic. The FLOAT Shelf is a great example of a project that looks simple but still requires heavy amounts of engineering design and development to bring to market. The campaign ends on December 1, 2016 and if successful first units are expected to ship in April 2017.